The Day Sydney's Mother Died
by SomeRandomWriter1
Summary: April 11th, 2014 was the day a family was changed forever. Max Reynolds lost his wife, and Sydney Reynolds lost her mother. For the two, it felt like life was over. But from tragedy, the two slowly grew closer together as they both began to learn that life does indeed continue after loss. A story of hope for the hopeless.
1. Chapter 1

**April 11th, 2014 - 4:46pm**

Max Reynolds walked through the front door of his daughter's elementary school out of breath. He immediately saw one of Sydney's teachers and rushed over to him and said, "I'm sorry I'm late Mr. Lee. It's just there were complications at work and bad traffic and then my phone died and of course I forgot my charger and..." The teacher: Mr. Lee held his hands up slightly and in a slightly nervous tone said, "It's okay Mr. Reynolds. The after care organization was glad to watch over Sydney considering what just happened." A confused looking Max said, "What? What just happened?" Mr. Lee then with a very nervous tone now said, "Oh my goodness. We thought you already knew and that's what you hadn't come yet." Max now looking very concerned said, "What was I supposed to know?" Mr. Lee then took a deep breath and in a partially calm tone said, "I'm sorry I have to be the one to tell you that there's been a most horrible accident. According to the police your wife while walking home from work was hit by a speeding car. She apparently died within seconds." Max suddenly began to lose his footing as he quickly found a chair near him and sat in it. Mr. Lee sat in front of him as Max who looked completely out of sorts said, "What? When? How did..." Mr. Lee then said, "It apparently happened about three hours ago at the intersection of Crouton and Slater. The police officer who came here said they tried to reach you before coming here." Max whose eyes began to shift back and forth said, "Where is... does Sydney know?" Mr. Lee then said, "No. We thought it best not to tell her anything until you came." Max then slowly got up as he said, "I... I need to Sydney. I need to Sydney now. Where is she? I need to see her now!" Mr. Lee got up and said, "Of course. Just follow me."

In a small auditorium Sydney was standing in front of a crowd of kids on a stage as with a big smile on her face as she said, "And then little Timmy woke up and realized maybe if he didn't eat cupcakes before bed, he wouldn't have scary dreams of Princess Jasmine taking over the world with the guy from Blue's Clues. The end!" Many of the kids in the audience clapped and cheered as one of the kids said, "Yay! Sydney tells the funniest stories ever." A smiling Sydney said, "I know. Thank you for enjoying another one woman show by Sydney Reynolds!" Sydney then turned her head and saw just starting to walk into the auditorium was her father Max. Sydney with a big smile on her face ran over to Max and yelled, "Daddy!" Sydney then jumped into Max's arms and Max instantly found himself holding Sydney up so Sydney could wrap her arms around his neck. A stilling smiling Sydney said, "I missed you. Are we gonna go home now?" Max sighed and then slowly dropped Sydney to the ground and walked her into the hallway.

Max led Sydney to a chair in the hallway and had her sit in it while Max sat in another chair facing her. A slightly concerned looking Sydney said, "Daddy, what's going on?" Max then said, "Well... I... I... I first wanna know how your day was." Sydney then said, "It was cool. In art today I made a cool clay sculpture of a horse that I can't take home till next week, and at indoor recess and after care, I got to tell so many funny stories and everybody loved them." Max made a small smile as he said, "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself at school today Sydney." Sydney who began to look at Max in a more curious way said, "Daddy? What's going on? Why aren't we going home to see mommy now?" Max then said, "Well Sydney. I... your mom... earlier today she was... she... she was hit by a car really hard and she died." Sydney's face suddenly went into shock as she said, "What? No. How can..." Max then said, "Look Sydney, remember when our old neighbor Mr. Fredrick died. Your mother and I told you he was gone from this world but that he was in heaven now. Well your mother is in heaven now too where she's at peace." Tears began to appear in Sydney's eyes as she said, "No. I don't want mom in heaven. I want her here!" Tears began to appear in Max's eyes as he said, "I want her here too Sydney. But I can't do anything about it. It's happened and... I'm so sorry Sydney." Max then got on his knees as Sydney dove into Max's arms and hugged him close as she began to cry.

At the Reynolds home the door bell rang. Max answered it and saw an old woman with a dish of food in her her hands as she said, "I just thought you could use a hot meal. I'm sorry for your loss." Max accepted the dish and with a small smile said, "Thank you very much." Max then closed the door and his face looked disgusted now as he said, "Another one to cram into the fridge!" From the kitchen Max's mother Judy appeared as she said, "God, do people only know how to make food when dealing with tragedy. Oh well. Might as well start eating." Judy then walked over to the nearby TV where Sydney was playing a video game. Judy then said, "Noodle, you want some casserole?" Sydney without turning her head away from the TV said, "No grandma." Judy then looked at Max and said, "Max. Kitchen. Now." Judy then led Max into the kitchen and once they were in there Judy said, "Max. She has been playing video games for five hours straight. She hasn't talked about what's happened during that whole time. This isn't healthy." Max then said, "Mom, her entire world has just been turned upside down. She's just trying to make sense of it all by doing the one thing in her life that hasn't changed. You expect me to send her to bed without the good night kiss she always gets from her mother _right now_?" Judy then said, "Yes Max. Sydney _has_ to go to bed and get some sleep. She _has_ to accept she's never gonna get a good night kiss from her mom ever again." Max then said, "Mom, you can't ask me to have Sydney start adapting to what's just happened. I can't do that." Judy then said, "She can't do that... or _you_ can't?" Max sighed and said, "I'll tell her to turn her video game off." Max then walked back into the living room and said, "Sydney, I..." Max then saw Sydney had fallen asleep in front of the TV. Max sighed, picked up Sydney in his arms, and then carried her up to her bedroom. As Max carried Sydney up, he looked at her young peaceful sleeping face as he said, "I wish I could tell you everything is gonna get better Sydney. I wish I could... but I can't."

The next morning Max was laying on the couch in the living room as he slowly got up. From the stairs, Judy came down and said, "Wait. You slept down _here_ last night?" Max then slowly sat up on the couch as he said, "Couldn't sleep in my room. It... just didn't feel right." The door bell rang. Judy began to walk towards the door and said, "I'll get it." Max then got up and said, "No. I'll get it mom. It's my home. I can answer my own door." Max then walked over to the front door, opened it, and surprisingly saw his old childhood friend Leo standing tall in a suit and tie in front of him. A surprised Max said, "Leo!" Leo smiled and said, "Max. It's great to see you." Max and Leo then gave each other a quick hug. Max then said, "Leo. It's good to see you too but... why are you here?" Judy then stepped over to the two and said, "I called him. I figured you'd want to your childhood best friend who is now a big shot lawyer to help you with the paperwork the police left you with last night." A confused Max said, "What!?" Judy then began to walk upstairs as she said, "I'll leave you two alone." Leo sighed and then said, "Now Max, I know you don't want to talk about this. But the sooner we formally press charges against the person that killed your wife, the better a settlement we can get out of this." Max put a hand on his forehead for a moment and said, "Leo, the person is in jail. Can we just put this behind us?" Leo then said, "Max, I know you want this whole event behind you, but formally pressing charges allows for you and Sydney to get proper restitution and ensure Sydney at least is well taken care for financially." Max turned his head away from Leo and said, "Leo, I can't put a price on my wife's life." Judy then suddenly ran down the stairs and said, "Max! Sydney isn't in her room. I already looked in all the other rooms too and didn't see her." Max then said, "Oh God. Okay. Mom, you check down town. I'll take the park. Leo, you know what she looks like right? So just... drive up and down any street you can think of. Lets go!"

Max was running through the park while holding his phone as he said, "No mom, she can't be too far. We shouldn't call the police yet so... Oh wait. I see her on the swings at the playground. Okay, she looks fine. Mom, call Leo and tell him everything's okay. I'll be back home in a few." Max then hung up his phone and ran over to Sydney swinging on the swings. Max then got on his knees in front of Sydney and hugged her immediately as he said, "Oh God, I thought I lost you too." Max then backed away from Sydney a bit and said, "Sydney! Why did you leave home like that!? What were you thinking!?" Max then saw tears in Sydney's eyes as Sydney slowly said, "I... mommy usually pushed me on the swings on Saturday mornings. She always let me run ahead. I'd sit here... then she'd eventually show up and then she'd push me... and it was always fun. So I thought if I came here... she'd show up and..." Suddenly many tears began to come out of Sydney's eyes. Sydney grabbed tightly to the swing chains as she said, "I'm sorry daddy. I'm so stupid. I know mommy wasn't going to be here and... but I... but I wanted her to be here. I want her here so much daddy!" Sydney then let got of the swings and fell out of it and into Max's lap. Max then held Sydney in his arms and began to rock her gently like a baby as he said, "It's gonna be okay Sydney. I'm here. And it's okay to be sad. Because if you're sad due to someone being gone... that can only be because that person loved you. Your mother loved you so much Sydney. Because you are an amazing, beautiful, talented, and wonderful young woman. Never forget that Sydney. Never forget that."

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	2. Chapter 2

Max Reynolds drove his car quickly into the elementary school parking lot and immediately ran into the building. Max ran over to a woman sitting at the front desk and said, "I got a text saying to come here immediately. Is Sydney okay!?" The woman at the front desk said, "Yes Mr. Reynolds. Didn't you read the entire message we..." Suddenly Sydney poked her head out of the nearby nurse's office and said, "Daddy?" Max then ran over to Sydney and hugged her as he said, "Oh my gosh. I thought I was going to lose you too." Sydney then said, "Daddy. You better let go. I wasn't hurt. I... just have head lice." Max then let go of Sydney and stepped away as he said, "Head lice?"

Sydney was sitting in a bath tub surrounded by bubbles as Max sat on the bathroom floor fully clothed near the bath tub. Max pushed some of Sydney's clothes that were on the floor to the side as he picked up a comb and a special bottle of shampoo. As Max looked at the bottle he said, "Okay. According to this, I'm supposed to comb your hair as straight as possible while looking for head lice and their eggs, and then apply this stuff." Max then slowly began to comb Sydney's hair. However as he did, Sydney began to squirm her body in the bath tub a bit as she said, "Ow. You're being too rough on my hair." Max then said, "Sorry Sydney." Max began to comb Sydney's hair again. However Sydney squirmed around in the tub again and said, "Oww! You're being too rough! Mom never hurt my hair when she combed or brushed it." Max then with an angry voice yelled, "I'm not your mother Sydney!" Sydney then became suddenly still as she had a terrified look on her face. Max then suddenly looked horrified and humiliated with what he had just done and then said, "Sydney... I... I don't know what just came over me. I..." Sydney then said, "I'm sorry I made you mad daddy." Max then looked calmer as he put his hands on Sydney's shoulders as he said, "No Sydney. I'm sorry I got mad at you. It's just... I had to miss work to pick you up and now I have to do things I never did before and... it's hard for me." Sydney then said, "I know. It's hard every day for me too." Max then said, "Look. This comb is like a perfect analogy for what it's gonna be like for awhile with us. We might accidentally hurt each other, but we have to make sure we apologize, and then do everything we can to try to be better. Okay?" Sydney nodded and said, "Okay."

In the school cafeteria Sydney sat down at a table for lunch. Suddenly several students walked over to Sydney and sat down with her as one girl said, "Hey Sydney. You finally ready to tell us some silly stories again?" Sydney looking a bit sad said, "I told you. I'm still not in the mood." Several of the kids got up as one of them said, "Come on guys. Sydney isn't fun anymore." All of the other students then walked away leaving Sydney sitting at a lunch table by herself.

In a small office, Max and Leo were sitting in front of each other as Leo said, "Okay Max. I think we can convince the judge to make sure you get the biggest check from this case if we show the video surveillance footage of the accident." Max then said, "Leo. I don't want to watch the video of my wife dying." Leo then said, "But if we make the judge watch it, he'll have more sympathy towards you. And if he sees _you_ seeing it, he'll have even _more_ sympathy." Max sighed and said, "Leo. My wife is gone. No amount of money is gonna change that." Leo then said, "But Sydney is still here Max. You deserve as much as possible to make sure you can raise her with ease." Max then heard his phone make a quick buzzing noise. Max looked at his phone and said, "No ease is happening here Leo. Sydney apparently got hurt at school... again."

Sydney sat down on her bed as Max stood in front of her as he said, "Sydney. Just tell me again... how does your leg just hit a soccer goal post when you aren't even playing soccer?" Sydney then said, "I don't know. Sometimes you just don't look where you're going." Max then said, "Sydney. In the last month, I have picked you up from school six times for various injuries. Your arm, your thumb, your ear. What's going on here? You realize I have to leave work every time your school calls and you know work has been hard for me and..." Sydney then cut Max off and in a very upset tone said, "I know. It's hard for you. You work hard to provide for me. That's why grandma says I don't ever see you. But when _can_ I see you dad? I never get to anymore. I lost my mom. And now... it feels like I've lost my dad." Tears began to come out of Sydney's eyes as Max got on his knees right in front of Sydney and said, "Sydney... I'm trying. I'm trying so hard. But I'm not gone. It's just... life is giving us a really hard situation right now." Sydney then looked right into Max's eyes and said, "I miss her daddy. I want my mommy so much." Sydney then held her arms out and instantly fell into Max's arms as she hugged him. Max hugged Sydney tightly in his arms as he said, "I know Sydney. I miss her so much too."

In the school cafeteria Sydney was sitting alone at a lunch table as she looked down at her food. Sydney then noticed from the corner of her eye someone sitting in front of her. Sydney sighed and said, "I don't have any stories to tell." Sydney then heard a female voice say, "Well then we're a lot alike. I just moved here from Wyoming and trust me, there's no stories to tell there either." Sydney looked up and saw a blonde girl was sitting in front of her. Sydney then said, "Can I help you?" The blonde girl then said, "Na. I'm just new here and was looking for a place to sit. Since you were alone, I thought you could use a new friend. I know I could use a new one. By the way. I see you have a few bruises on you. Hey, if you're accident prone, don't be ashamed. My brothers are too. That's why I always keep plenty of band-aids and antiseptic on me at all times. I'll stay near you at recess today if you want just in case." Sydney then said, "Wait. You wanna hang out with me and potentially help me out, even if I don't entertain you?" The blonde girl then said, "Hey. I don't need entertainment from a new friend. Life is already entertaining enough as it is." Sydney then said, "You're pretty strange. And yet... I already think you're more of a real friend than anybody else I've known in this school. I'm Sydney by the way."The blonde girl then said, "Good to meet you Sydney. I'm Olive."

TO BE CONTINUED...


	3. Chapter 3

Max Reynolds walked down the stairs of his home but suddenly heard the sound of laughter. Max quickly walked down the rest of the stairs to see Sydney and Olive looking at picture book and laughing at it. A smiling Olive held the book up saying, "Oh my gosh. The crocodiles in this book are so funny!" With a big smile on her face Sydney said, "I know. I love it when they always fail to eat their zebra neighbor. It is hilarious!" Max then walked over to the two and said, "Hey girls. You having fun?" A smiling Sydney said, "Oh yeah dad. Olive's books are so funny! Can you buy these so we can read them together?" Olive then said, "Oh, you can have these. I inherited multiple copies from my older brothers and cousins so I have plenty to spare." With a big smile on her face Sydney hugged Olive and said, "Oh my gosh! Thank you Olive! Thank you!"

That night Max was laying in his bed reading a book when he heard a knock on the door. Max then put his book down and said, "Come in." Sydney then walked into the room in her pink pajamas with an upset face as she said, "Daddy. Can... can we talk?" Max then said, "Sure Sydney. Hop in." Sydney then jumped into the bed with Max and sat close to him. Max then seeing how upset Sydney looked said, "Sydney, what's wrong?" Sydney then said, "Well... I'm kind of feeling bad about how today went." Max then said, "You're upset about how _today_ went? Sydney, I heard you laughing and giggling all day with Olive. I can't remember the last time you looked so happy." Sydney then said, "I do. The last time was... before mom died." Max looking a bit shooken up now said, "Oh." Sydney then said, "I... was happy today dad. But... it feels like I'm not supposed to be happy anymore. Mom is dead. I'm supposed to miss her every day but... today it was like I missed her a little less and it scares me. Because if I miss her less it means I love her less now and..." Max then said, "Shh. Don't think that way Sydney. You had a fun day today, and that's exactly what your mother would've wanted. Your mom spent every day of her life after you were born trying to put a smile on your face. She'd want you to find friends that could do the same. Being a little less sad and a little more happy isn't a bad thing. We'll always miss your mom. But she'd want you to get out there and find some happiness." Sydney made a little smile as she said, "Okay. But... is it okay if I cry again tonight? Because I feel like crying right now." Max then said, "Oh Sydney. Come here." Suddenly tears began to flow out of Sydney's eyes as she hugged Max.

Days later, Max and Leo were walking out of a court room as Max said, "Well you did it Leo. That was certainly a huge amount of money we just left with. My costs of raising Sydney are now set for life. You really are a good lawyer. Thank you." Leo sighed for a moment and then said, "Max... this is my last day being a lawyer." Max then said, "What? But you're so good at it. Helping me with this settlement is gonna give you great exposure." Leo then said, "Yeah. Exposure I got that was born from a serious tragedy. I can't keep living like this Max. Trying to make a profit out of horrific events that happen to others. I can't live in this world. It's too much for me." Max then said, "Well... I'm sorry to hear that man. So... what next for you?" Leo then said, "Well... maybe go back to my old dream of starting a tech company. I've got a cousin in San Francisco who might be able to help me get one off the ground." Max patted Leo on the shoulder and said, "Best of luck to you man."

Days later in the evening Max walked through the front door looking tired but suddenly saw Sydney sitting on the couch. A surprised Max said, "Sydney, what are still you doing up? It's 10:30." Sydney then said, "I wanted to see you before I went to bed. Another long day at work?" Max nodded and said, "Yeah. They all are. I wish I could tell the managers how to run the show but I'm not the boss so I have to work over time fixing their crazy mistakes." Sydney then said, "Dad, why don't you start your own business? Grandma said you got a lot of money from the court the other day." Max then said, "Sydney, that's not _my_ money though. I only went through that whole ordeal in court with Leo to help make sure _you_ would have a lot of money to help you as you grow up." Sydney then said, "So it's _my_ money then? Well... then I want _you_ to have it. Because I want _you_ to be happy." Max then said, "Sydney... do you know what you're saying?" Sydney then said, "All I know is when me, you, and mom used to bike ride together you were at your happiest. And I know you once told mom that your dream was to open a bike store one day so you could make other people that happy too. So do it dad. Make your dreams happen. It's what mom would've wanted right? To put yourself out there and find some happiness?" Max smiled as he got on his knees and said, "Give me a hug Sydney." Sydney then instantly hugged Max as a smiling Max said, "When did you get so wise Syd?" Sydney then said, "From my amazing mom... and my pretty cool dad." Max then said, "Well... okay Sydney. It'll take some time but... I'll do it. Within one year I promise you, we are gonna have our own bike shop." Sydney smiled as she said, "I love you dad." Max smiled back as he said, "I love you too Sydney."

**THE END**


End file.
